Cairde Teo – Fiontraíocht Shóisialta ag feidhmiú ar son na teanga
November 12, 2012
Minister Quinn & EIB President welcome start to construction of eight schools unlocking Public Private Partnership Model
November 12, 2012
The Minister for Education and Skills warmly welcomed the start of construction today (Monday 12th November) of eight schools which are being delivered under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. These are the first public sector projects to be funded under the PPP model since June 2010.
These schools in counties Westmeath, Leitrim, Limerick, Galway, Donegal, Wexford and Waterford are the third bundle of schools to be built under the Department of Education and Skills school PPP programme. They are part of the five year school building programme already announced by Minister Ruairí Quinn T.D. earlier this year.
A loan of €50 million has been secured through the European Investment Bank (EIB) which has meant these new schools can now proceed to construction. The total value of the construction costs is estimated to be approximately €100 million.
The eight schools will provide accommodation for approximately 5,700 students. Six of the eight schools are second level schools; while the two remaining schools to be built in Doughiska, Co. Galway, are a primary and a secondary school which will share a single campus.
Minister Quinn said, “This is very good news for the communities in counties stretching from Donegal to Waterford who have been waiting for their school building projects to be given the green light.”
“I am particularly pleased that the EIB has again decided to support the Department’s schools capital investment programme with a loan of €50 million which will assist in funding this investment. It is a further signal of the bank’s renewed confidence in the Irish State and our recovery programme.”
President of the EIB,Werner Hoyer, said, “The landmark agreement to support construction of eight new schools marks the reopening of the PPP sector in Ireland. The European Investment Bank is committed to enabling education investment in Ireland. This project complements EIB support provided in July to build 550 new classrooms and backing to redevelop University College Dublin a year ago.”
The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) is responsible for advising State Authorities on the best financing of priority public investment projects. These eight schools in PPP Bundle 3 were referred to the NDFA in July 2010 to assist in securing funding.
BAM PPP was appointed preferred tenderer in September 2011 and all planning issues were granted by May of this year. Now that funding has been secured, construction is expected to begin immediately. The project financing includes EIB, Bank of Ireland and the National Pensions Reserve Fund.
Theo Cullinane, BAM Chief Executive said, “We are pleased to be investing in the Irish market and to have been able to partner with the Department of Education and Skills, the NDFA and our senior lenders Bank of Ireland, the European Investment Bank and the National Pensions Reserve Fund to develop a financing solution for the project. The successful financing of this project augurs well for future PPP projects.”
Tom Hayes, Chief Executive of Bank of Ireland Corporate Banking, said, “This transaction highlights Bank of Ireland’s commitment to supporting local communities throughout the country. It will create more than 1,000 much needed jobs during construction and on completion will provide first class educational facilities for over 5,700 pupils and serve generations to come.”
Earlier this year, Minister Quinn unveiled a five year Schools Capital Programme worth €1.5 billion. This will see a total of 275 major school buildings projects commenced between now and 2016. The €50 million loan being provided by the EIB will assist in funding this investment. Since 2008 the European Investment Bank has provided nearly €350 million for investment in schools and universities in Ireland.
All schools are expected to be completed by 2014. Their completion will bring the total number of schools delivered under the PPP model in the State to 23.
The schools which will be built under PPP Bundle 3 are:
- Athlone Community College, Co. Westmeath
- Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim
- Doon, Co. Limerick
- Doughiska Post Primary, Co.Galway
- Merlin Woods Primary School (Doughiska), Co. Galway
- Creagh College, Gorey, Co. Wexford
- Coláiste Ailigh, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
- Tramore, Co. Waterford
education.ie
Diversity of Patronage – Survey of Parents – Deadline for completion of Survey is Midnight on Friday 9th November
November 9, 2012
Surveys available here: education.ie
Faoiseamh maidir le cúntóir ranga Gaelscoile
November 9, 2012
Coláiste Feirste ag feitheamh ar bhus go fóill
November 9, 2012
Gaelscoil Riabhach awarded a Yellow Flag!
November 9, 2012
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the Yellow Flag. We were the first school to be awarded the flag in Connacht and are so proud of all the great work done last year. A group went from the school last Tuesday to accept the flag in Dubin, from Olympic Medalist John Joe Nevin. Gaelscoil Riabhach is a multi-denominational school and the Yellow Flag is a symbol of the welcome that our school extends to all and the work that is done continuously through our Croí na Scoile (Core Curriculum). What work will our school be doing this month in Croí na Scoile?
http://gaelscoilriabhach.scoilnet.ie/blog/
Feighlí linbh le Gaeilge
November 8, 2012
Nuachtlitir AN FORAS PÁTRÚNACHTA
November 8, 2012
Gaelgoir students learn from hurler ‘Gizzy’
November 8, 2012
Over 200 secondary school students gathered at Whites Hotel recently to hear of the advantages of the ‘cúpla focal’.
Buntáiste Breise na Gaeilge was the title of a range of seminars being held by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge across the country, highlighting the advantages of the Irish language. A number of guest speakers spoke of the advantages which the Irish language has afforded them in their own careers. Special guest speaker on the day was Wexford hurling star Diarmuid ‘Gizzy’ Lyng, and he addressed the crowd of enthusiastic students on the benefits of our native language.
The goal of the event was to inspire the group of youngsters and motivate them to consider the Irish language when choosing their career path. Students were also given the opportunity to ask the speakers questions and to take part in lively debate on the issue of the language. Representatives from various third level institutes from all over the country were also present to give information on the variety of third level courses which they offer to students who wish to pursue a career through the medium of Irish.
Further information about these seminars is available from Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge at 01 679 4780 or by sending an e-mail to eolas@gaelport.com.
www.goreyguardian.ie
Pupils leave cramped school behind
November 7, 2012
Schoolchildren waved goodbye to cramped classrooms yesterday before a triumphant march into a spacious new state-of-the-art school.
Years of campaigning for the building finally came to end as hundreds of pupils of Gaelscoil Uí Ríordáin in Ballincollig, Co Cork, walked 3km from the old school in Coolroe, founded above a shop almost 30 years ago, for their first day of classes in the €4.5m purpose-built, 24-classroom, three-storey building in Carriganarra.
Education Minister Ruairí Quinn said he was delighted the school was now open to classes. There were emotional scenes as founding principal Gabriel Ó Cathasaigh led cheering pupils and their parents through the front door.
“We have a fantastic facility here — or Áras na Gaeilge as I like to call it,” he said.
“We have a special location where the Irish language can blossom. There is a huge demand for Irish here, and there is a huge amount of Irish to be heard in Ballincollig and this school will help in a big way.”
Vice-principal Bríd Ní Chonchubhair said that the space in the new school is “just unbelievable”. “It was very cramped in the old building,” she explained.
“But we have loads of space here now. Even in the corridors — you could have drama, ceoil, and craic outside there.”
Gaelscoil Uí Riordáin was founded in 1983 in a room above a small supermarket in Coolroe close to the former home of poet Seán Ó Ríordáin — for whom the school is named.
Mr Ó Cathasaigh was its first and only teacher, with 15 children in junior infants class. As Ballincollig grew and pupil numbers soared, the building was adapted to accommodate more classrooms, and several prefabs were added in recent years.
Today, the school has some 530 pupils and more than 26 teachers. The department of education was paying some €250,000 in rent for the Coolroe site. The need for a new building was recognised more than a decade ago. But despite three public calls by the government during the height of the building boom for potential sites for a new school, a suitable site failed to emerge.
The 1.2-hectare site in Carriganarra site was eventually deemed suitable by the Office of Public Works, but a deal to buy it wasn’t completed until 2009, with planning permission granted in 2010. Glenman Corporation was appointed the main contractors, with Healy Kelly Turner and Townsend as project managers to deliver the school under the department’s Rapid Build School Programme.
It has been designed to accommodate 750 pupils and it is expected that three new classes of up to 30 pupils will be accepted each year for the next three years. It boasts a general purpose hall, a library and resource rooms, three ball courts, and a junior play space.
The completion date of July was missed and minor snag delayed a September handover.
www.irishexaminer.com
